Madness is my Friend
by thefictionalLady
Summary: The Hatter's decent into being mad. A story between the Hatter and Madness. Hatter POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

"Death, I long for death."

"Death? That whore? I suppose I could introduce you. We are old friends you know. But Death is nothing special, gets around to everyone. Ever heard of the Kiss of Death? Everybody receives it in their own time. I could very easily call him if you wish, but I have far greater plans for you."

"Please, just leave me be."

"No, no, no, don't you see? You should be honored. You will meet Death in due time, as all do, but very few have the honor of befriending me. Many have claimed to have met me, have claimed I had them in my grasp but very few have the honor of actually greeting me face to face. Stare, human, into the face of Madness, true Madness, and do not be afraid. I can be your friend if you allow it, or your worst enemy. I can offer you joy, an escape from this pain your sad pathetic life has dealt you. Do you really wish to run into Death's embrace? Do you truly believe you will be free in it? No, boy, think again. I am freedom. Take my hand and you will be free forever."

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"Because I wish to help you, my dear companion."

"I'll never be free."

"Yes you will, friend, yes you will. All you must do is abandon your senses and trust in me. You shall indeed be free. Trust in your new friend Madness, I will take care of you.

**Chapter 1**

It was the summer of 1853, London. I was doing very well with myself. I had finally opened the hat shop of my dreams, and was receiving a fair amount of customers. I had always loved hats from a young age. You see my father, Johnathon Young, had been a hatter as well. Hatting was the family business so naturally I developed a strong love and respect for hats of all kinds, and almost nothing could match my love for hats. Until she walked in.

Long beautiful pale blonde hair done up in a dainty bun atop her head was complimented her pale skin. She was like a porcelain doll, perfect in every way. Her head shape was much better than that of the cheap mannequins I worked on, and the texture and almost white color of her hair seemed to compliment any shade and tint of hat I could image. My fingers twitched with eagerness. I longed to hat that beautiful head, and it mattered not if I never could hat another if I could only hat that one head for the rest of my days.

Now I was known to be quite a charmer, I could talk a lady into buying a hat and out of trying for a discount with her smiling and giggling the whole time. But with this one it felt different. I thought her much too beautiful for me to approach her, until I realized that she was much too beautiful not to be approached.

"Hello madam, how are we doing today?" I asked, flashing a smile.

"Quite well thank you." She replied, not even glancing in my direction. She was staring at a lacy red bonnet with a single white flower in the knot of the bow. It was perfectly suited for her.

"May I help you with anything?"

"Yes, actually I am quite interesting in this hat here. What do you call it?" she asked almost absentmindedly as she ran her finger delicately across the brim.

"Pardon me madam?"

She finally turned to face me. Her eyes were as deep and blue as the sea. A strange expression came across her face, as did mine I'm sure.

"What do you call it?" she repeated, her voice strong and clear this time.

It took me a second to process the question. I had never really thought to name my hats; most styles had a name already associated with it so I never bothered to name them myself. This woman was certainly strange, yet completely captivating. Unsure of what to do, I decided to lead with charm.

"What's your name?"

"Anna Smith."

"Then I call it the Anna."

A slight blush colored her cheeks. "You certainly know how to make a sale sir."

"I do know that, but actually Miss Smith my motives are little different than a standard sale. I was wondering if you would be my model." I tried my best to keep my voice steady and my breathing even.

"I don't believe I'm suited for such a job, Mister,"

"Young, Simon Young. And I believe that there is no other head on this planet that I would like to hat more than yours Miss Smith, if you don't mind me saying." I scolded myself silently for the rather awkward and slightly cheesy line. But thankfully a small smile rose from the corner of her lips.

"Well if you feel that strongly about it Mr. Young, how can I refuse?"

"You cannot I hope." Hoping to seal the deal I flashed my best smile, meant especially for the wooing of young ladies and extended my hand.

"When do I start?" She asked, accepting the handshake. I could feel the softness and warmness of her hand in mine even through the sheer cotton gloves she had on. Her eyes met mine and it was if time stood still. I knew that this would be much more than a business relationship, this was fate.

Anna and I were married after a long year of courting. If it wasn't for my nerves and social rules I would have asked that very afternoon. She was perfect in every way. Her beauty radiated from every pore of her, and I asked myself everyday what I did to deserve her. Every hat and dress she wore suited her; even the ugliest of hats would have looked finer than a crown made of the most expensive materials. She was kind and gentle, but not lacking in spunk and guts. We had tea parties every afternoon at three, just the two of us. We promised to have them with our child when we had one.

"Can you imagine, Simon? Tea Party for three at three, doesn't that sound just wonderful? Tea for two is just fine but tea for three would be just perfect." She would say excitedly, clasping her favorite tea cup in her hands. "But just three, I find large parties detestable. Besides we don't have enough chairs to accommodate large parties."

"Not that I am disagreeing with you, my dearest, but I believe we have at least enough seating for a good ten people at least." I would reply.

Then she would always give a playful smile and wag her finger saying, "No room, no room."

Finally after a year of marriage we she was with child. Both of us could hardly contain our excitement. I made greater efforts to increase sales at the store make bigger and better hats so I could sell them for more. Anna spent her days picking out what books she wanted to read to the child, drawing pictures to decorate the baby's room with, and looking at cribs and baby clothing.

In April, a month after her mother's birthday, Anna finally gave birth to a healthy but small baby girl.

"What should we name her dear?" I had asked, leaning down to plant a kiss atop her forehead.

"I suppose Present or Gift is a bit too out of the ordinary for a name, for she seems like a belated birthday present. The most beautiful belated present I've ever received."

"Perhaps a bit," I chuckled.

"Well she's no larger than a dormouse so how about Doris?" Anna looked up at me, and our daughter too seemed to look up at me at the same time. They had the same eyes, breathtakingly blue.

"I think she likes it."

"Does she?" Anna looked back down at the baby, who had begun to giggle. "I believe you're right" She took one of Doris's hands and started shaking it gently while cooing at her. "You like the name Doris? Well Doris it is. My you are such a pretty girl Miss Doris Young, when you grow up I believe you will have a line of suitors three kilos long."

"I should hope not. Anna we might have a problem, our daughter is just too beautiful I don't believe we can bring her out in public. We will just have to keep her here for ourselves. I will not have any dirty, uncultured boys attempting to woo my beautiful Doris."

"What about the clean and cultured ones, dear?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There are none. I am the only man Doris needs in her life." I took Doris's other hand. "Isn't that right, darling?"

"I believe we have still have quite a long time before we have to worry about that, dear."

"I don't think any time is long enough. It can only be tea for three remember? Not tea for three and a snot nosed boy."

"Yes dear," Anna laughed, and reached up to touch my face.

Everything in my little world was perfect, until that day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I was putting the finishing touches on a Bowler hat for a regular customer when I learned the news. One of the local boys who sell newspapers on the corner burst into the shop.

"Mr. Young, Mr. Young!" he shouted.

"What is it boy, what do you need?" I replied impatiently.

"It's your house, sir."

"What? What about my house?" I dropped my work.

"It's on fire, sir."

I started making my way towards the door. "What about my family?"

"Don't know, sir, but you better hurry. It's all ablaze!"

The boy continued shouting after me but I was already halfway down the street.

My house was not close to town. We enjoyed our seclusion and extra room outside of the city. Anna never really liked city life; she preferred the slower pace of the countryside, where she swore we would move to eventually. Never did I think living so far off would be such a problem.

I was able to convince a carriage driver to drive at top speed. The carriage rattled almost as much as my nerves as we raced over the rough dirt roads that led to the house. Soon I was able to see the smoke from the window. We were probably still about a kilometer away, but the cloud of smoke was massive and more than visible. The smell of burning wood and other substances filled the air.

When I arrived there was little left of our perfect home. The flames had subsided but smoke still billowed out of the ash and rubble that was left.

"ANNA! DORIS!" I shouted, running frantically towards the house. "ANNA!" I started tearing through the rubble. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst. I searched everywhere hoping to find, and hoping not to find. I wished for nothing more than to hold my dear wife and child in my arms again.

Unfortunately I was granted my wish. From under a pile of collapsed boards emerged a small white hand and the hem of a dress. I tore the boards off, revealing Anna completely covering Doris with her body save the hand that stuck out from the rubble. I shook the both of them.

"Anna, Anna darling wake up. Doris, wake up Daddy's home." Tears started to cloud my vision. "Please wake up. Come on sweetie, wake up. WAKE UP!"

But no matter how much I shook them or shouted, they would not awaken. Anna had given her life to save Doris's, but Doris did not survive. Why hadn't they just gotten out when the fire started? How did this happen? Why did it happen?

But what did it matter? All that I wanted, all that I loved in the world was gone. I was alone; my life had no purpose or meaning anymore. And the pain, oh the pain, it was like everything was stabbing me or injuring me. The air was too thick and suffocated me, the sun was too hot and burning me, the trees loomed overhead and their needles pierced into my skin. My insides felt as if they were to burst at any given moment, such a swelling like I was being filled with poisonous gasses until I would explode. And yet it also felt as if there was a gaping hole going right through me, like every ship in the British navy had shot a cannon right through me.

There was nothing I could do. I was hopeless. I just sat amongst the smoke and the rubble, holding my dear wife and child, my Anna and Doris, sobbing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After they buried Anne and Doris my life went on dismally. I could no longer bring myself to putting on a smiling face and charm my way to a sale. It wasn't long before people started to notice. Old friends and distant relatives came to visit me in my wretched state, bearing homemade cakes and parcels of home cooked meals. Half of their intentions were probably meant to do me well, make sure I was fed and still functional, while the other half I am sure was simply to see how many jumps away from Bedlam I was. Soon, I could no longer be amongst people, so I hired a good looking boy to run the shop front and immersed myself in my work, making hats throughout the night to stop the nightmares that had started to haunt me.

The _nightmare_ that had started to haunt me.

It was a man with flowing pale green hair and sharp teeth, cackling and holding out his gloved hand as if to beckon me towards him. He never said anything, or at least he didn't until that night.

I wasn't asleep, but I couldn't very well say that I was awake either. I was in that wondrous state of mind in between the two, working without thinking, without feeling, without caring. My hands knew what they were doing; my skill was great enough that I could create gloriously beautiful hats without so much as blinking an eye, and certainly without the need for a plan. Then suddenly, my attention was brought to something, _someone_.

"Hello there, Simon," called a cool steely voice.

I looked up. The voice had come from a tall, slender man. The man from my nightmares.

"Who are you?" I asked, clearly afraid.

"Someone who wants to help. A friend, even. I know of your troubles, dearest Simon, I know you are in pain. Such pain you feel like every fiber of your being could unravel at the slightest touch, and yet if it did you wouldn't care in the least. Your haunted by everything, every minute of every day creeps by reminding you of the perfect life you no longer have. It reminds you that _you _are alive and _they _are dead. Suddenly it's as if the air has turned to fire and noxious gas, and gravity is now pushing a hundred times harder than before. I know, friend, I understand. And I am here to help." His voice was clear and cold, but it was terrifying and comforting like the trickle of a stream in a dangerous wood. His eyes were black as coals but burned with empathy so fierce I could almost feel its warmth.

"How?" was all I could manage to choke out.

"Trust me."

"Trust you? What do you mean?"

A grin crept across his face, sending a chill down my spine. "It's as simple as that my dearest Simon. All you have to do is trust me. Say you trust me, and I will take care of all the rest. That is what friends do, is it not?"

"Friends? But I don't know you. I don't know anything about you." My voice had begun to rise, either in fear or confusion, but it didn't faze the man one bit.

Still smiling, he walked right up to me and put both of his cold bony hands on my shoulders and whispered, "But you will."


End file.
